Four aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500 lbs. This was an unfortunate night as three aircraft failed to return and the other aircraft returned early having jettisoned it’s mines. This aircraft met an enemy night fighter and sustained damage to the port wing, starboard flap, rear turret and many large holes in the fuselage, the rear gunner, Sgt W. Hurdle, was killed during the combat. The weather was bad and ten tenths cloud made visibility poor. Navigation was very good. The missing aircraft were Stirling’s Mk.III BF461, Captained by P/O G. K. Williams, BK778 Captained by P/O W. S. Masters, and EE897 Captained by F/O N. Wilson.
Stirling Mk.III EJ108 AA.O captained by F/O E. F. Witting was the aircraft attacked by the night fighter, which made one pass and raked the aircraft with cannon fire. Walter Hurdle was killed in the attack and the Stirling was badly damaged. They struggled back to base, and made a difficult but safe landing at Mepal.
This disastrous night cost 16 aircrew killed or missing, 5 became Prisoners of War and 1 evaded, this was F/S Walter Morice from the Gordon Williams crew, and on 28 December 1943 he left Stockholm and arrived in Leuchars on 29 December 1943.
It also cost 3 of the 4 aircraft lost and the other was Cat AC/FB and didn’t return to 75 squadron for five weeks (13 December 1943).
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